Breaking Down on Track: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's Emotional Struggles with Coach Bob Kersee in 2020
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, one of the most dominant track and field athletes of all time, is no stranger to challenges on and off the track. Despite her amazing talent, her path to success hasn’t always been smooth. Back in 2020, Sydney faced a significant setback, emotionally and professionally, that left her at her lowest. It was a period marked by heartbreak, career challenges, and the impact of the global pandemic—each chipping away at her sense of stability.
Sydney’s personal struggles began with a heartbreak. Her high school sweetheart had ended their relationship and made it clear that reconciliation was not an option. This rejection weighed heavily on her. Adding to her struggles was the fact that Sydney had finished second at the 2019 IAAF World Championships, losing to Dalilah Muhammad. Despite running her personal best of 52.23 seconds, Dalilah’s 52.16 seconds set a world record and left Sydney feeling defeated.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 only compounded Sydney’s difficulties. With training centers and sports facilities shutting down, she found herself isolated, left to grapple with her emotions on her own. Her training was put on hold, and she had nowhere to channel her energy. When the UCLA training facilities finally opened up in May, Sydney was able to get back on track. Her coach, Joanna Hayes, soon introduced her to the legendary coach Bob Kersee, who agreed to come on board as her hurdle consultant.
Bob Kersee had an impressive pedigree—he had coached the likes of Florence Griffith Joyner and Allyson Felix, legends in the sport. He quickly made an impact on Sydney’s training, helping her overcome struggles like her performance at the first hurdle by adjusting her blocks further behind. Sydney seemed to be back on track, but emotionally, she still felt lost.
Sydney’s burning desire to win left her constantly fearing another defeat to Dalilah Muhammad. One day, during training, the stress overwhelmed her and she broke down on the track. Bob Kersee noticed and approached her, asking what was wrong. With hesitation, she admitted, “For the first time in my track career, I feel like I’m going backward. I’ve always prided myself on progressing every year, but for some reason, I really feel like I’m moving in the wrong direction.”
Sydney recalls in her book, *Far Beyond Gold*, that Bob’s response caught her off guard. Instead of offering comforting words, he simply walked away. When he returned, he handed her an emotion wheel—a simple tool with various emotions written on it. Bob explained, “I have a hard time expressing my emotions too. So I want you to have this. Hopefully, it will help you figure out how to identify what you’re feeling.”
At first, Sydney felt humiliated. She had just poured her heart out to one of the most decorated coaches she had ever met, and his response was something as elementary as an emotion wheel. “I was embarrassed. Here I was, bawling my eyes out to the most decorated coach I’d ever met, and he barely even knew me,” she admitted.
Later that night, Sydney took a closer look at the emotion wheel. Slowly, she began to identify the emotions she was feeling. She realized she was angry at her situation, frustrated that nothing seemed to be going her way. But as she worked her way through the chart, she uncovered a deeper feeling—resentment. She resented the fact that her progress was being stalled and found herself projecting these feelings on her loved ones, including her parents and her coach. This revelation marked a turning point for Sydney.
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Understanding her emotions, Sydney decided that she needed Bob Kersee as her coach permanently. The next day, she asked her agent to set up a meeting with Bob, who agreed to take on the role. From that point on, Bob Kersee became Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s full-time coach and played a pivotal role in her future success.
Under Bob’s mentorship, Sydney went on to achieve greatness, winning four Olympic medals and becoming one of the most celebrated athletes in track and field history. The emotional breakdown on the track in 2020, which she had initially perceived as an embarrassing low point, turned out to be a catalyst for a breakthrough—both in her career and her personal growth.
This story highlights how vulnerability and the willingness to seek help can lead to incredible growth. For Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, what started as a low point ultimately turned into a defining moment that shaped her into one of the greatest athletes of her generation.
